Chapter 157: B*tch


    The Mad Sword Emperor found the current situation deeply unsatisfactory.


    He had been quite enjoying himself when he was facing Rai.


    It had been so long since he had fought someone of such caliber that it had piqued his interest.


    However, everything was ruined by the sudden intrusion of another party.


    In the Blood Heaven Realm, a space created solely for a one-on-one duel, the intruders shattered the realm and appeared, delivering an unbearable insult to the Mad Sword Emperor.


    They had destroyed one of his arms and scorched his entire body.


    It was only natural for him to feel utterly infuriated.


    And now, he was growing even more enraged.


    Amidst the storm of Emperor’s Annihtion Swords descending from the sky, a figure danced gracefully like a goddess possessed, wielding a curved de. The woman drove the Mad Sword Emperor back, seemingly unbothered by the swords raining down.


    It was as if she knew the Emperor’s Annihtion Swords would never harm her.


    Indeed, her intuition was correct—the swords, rather than being a threat, cleared paths for her, shielding her during perilous moments and opening opportunities for attack.


    This precision was entirely due to Rai’s skillful swordsmanship.


    Even the Mad Sword Emperor couldn’t help but inwardly marvel at the incredible mastery disyed by Rai.


    <i>‘Damn it, there’s not even a single opening left.’</i>


    Rai’s swordsmanship was primarily designed to counter Erosion entities.


    In fact, if limited to dealing with World Erosion entities, Rai could be considered the strongest among the Ten Greatest Under the Sky.


    However, this specialization in fighting Erosion entities sometimes left him at a slight disadvantage in directbat against humans.


    That was why Rai had taken a considerable amount of time without being able to fully overpower the Mad Sword Emperor.


    But now, the situation hadpletely changed.


    Sena Meyer, the Ghost Lord, had once stood alongside Rai as part of the Golden Generation.


    Though she wasn’t one of the Ten Greatest Under the Sky, she was undeniably worthy of being called a powerful warrior.


    Her synergy with Rai was exceptional—far beyond what anyone could have imagined.


    Rai’s techniques were most effective against World Erosion entities, while Sena excelled in directbat against human opponents.


    Together, they created a devastatingbination: Sena rampaged through Rai’s battlefield like an unstoppable storm.


    As a result, the Mad Sword Emperor’s body was once again shed by Sena’s de, leaving his side torn open.


    Grinding his teeth, the Mad Sword Emperor swung his Blood Demonic Sword, but it was intercepted by Rai’s Emperor’s Annihtion Sword, which came crashing down to block his strike.


    Rai’s Emperor’s Annihtion Sword excelled in spatial control.


    Its sheer size and durability were unmatched, to the point where even the Blood Demonic Sword couldn’t cut through it.


    Of course, that was no surprise.


    The Emperor’s Annihtion Sword was crafted with the properties of adamantium, the strongest metal in existence.


    Rai’s skill.


    Repheten.


    A technique that allowed him to shape the minerals he held into any desired form through the aura he controlled.


    The Emperor’s Annihtion Sword was born from thebination of Rai’s skill, Repheten, and his unparalleled swordsmanship.


    Dozens of these Emperor’s Annihtion Swords hovered in the sky above.


    Just seeing them was enough to feel the overwhelming magnitude of Rai’s aura.


    But something else was bothering the Mad Sword Emperor more than Rai’s swords.


    The moment he moved back, he sensed an eerie presence. Without hesitation, he swung his Blood Demonic Sword, but all it cut was empty air.


    As he realized he had sliced the void for nothing, his face flushed with fury.


    There was only one reason for this: Kraush.


    From the beginning, Kraush had been hiding his presence, sneaking close for a quick strike, and then retreating.


    Even just now, Kraush had briefly revealed his presence before vanishing again, deliberately making the Mad Sword Emperor waste his energy.


    “You little bastard!”


    The Mad Sword Emperor, who rarely cursed, shouted in anger.


    But there was no time to vent his rage.


    Another Emperor’s Annihtion Sword was already descending from above, targeting him.


    Injured as he was, there was no chance to rest.


    Although the Mad Sword Emperor had some degree of self-healing ability, it slowed significantly when using the Blood Demonic Sword because the sword absorbed his blood as its fuel.


    Yet, abandoning the Blood Demonic Sword was not an option—it would be the same as throwing away his own weapon.


    His mind raced as he assessed the dire situation.


    The thought that things were going terribly wrong struck him like a hammer.


    Even Ebsque seemed to have betrayed him.


    No matter how vital it was to absorb the power of World Erosion for Ixion’s goals, being cornered like this made survival his only priority.


    Nothing mattered if he didn’t survive.


    Self-preservation above all else—that was the Mad Sword Emperor’s ultimate survival strategy.


    “ck Witch!”


    He screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice hoarse with desperation.


    “I’ve done everything I could!”


    Behind him, a dark space began to twist and distort.


    The ck Witch, respecting his decision, was answering his call.


    The warped ck space slowly started taking form.


    At that moment, another Emperor’s Annihtion Sword came crashing down before him.


    At the same time, Sena charged in like a bolt of lightning.


    She had realized that the Mad Sword Emperor was attempting to escape.


    But it was already toote.


    “Tch, how persistent.”


    The Blood Demonic Sword began to swell rapidly.


    As it expanded, blood spurted from his arm, and the sword let out a grotesque, grinding sound, as if it were alive.


    <i>Kiiiiiiiiiing!</i>


    The emerging de of the Blood Demonic Sword started spinning violently, emitting a horrific noise that filled the air.


    The Mad Sword Emperor swung the rotating de toward the approaching Sena.


    “Ugh!”


    Sena, sensing the overwhelming power of the attack, quickly halted her advance and stepped back.


    A few strands of her hair were sliced off, fluttering in the air.


    The Mad Sword Emperor, intent on killing her, moved to strike again with the Blood Demonic Sword, but the Emperor’s Annihtion Sword loomed just above him, mere moments from impact.


    With no choice, he turned his sword and swung it at the descending de.


    ng!


    The Blood Demonic Sword collided with the Emperor’s Annihtion Sword, sparks flying from the impact.


    <i>Kagagagagagaga!</i>


    The spinning de of the Blood Demonic Sword began to grind against the edge of the Emperor’s Annihtion Sword, creating a deafening cacophony.


    As expected from one of the Ten Heavenly Swords, it managed to gain the upper hand.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    The Mad Sword Emperor finally deflected the Emperor’s Annihtion Sword, sending it crashing into the ground and embedding itself deep into the earth.


    Meanwhile, the ck Witch’s spatial portal was nearlyplete.


    Other Emperor’s Annihtion Swords were closing in on him, but the Mad Sword Emperor chose to ignore them.


    Though he felt a pang of regret over Ebsque’s betrayal, which had derailed his mission to absorb the power of World Erosion, survival was his top priority.


    Without a second thought, he turned toward the portal.@@novelbin@@


    “ck Witch.”


    That was when it happened.


    A voice echoed from behind him, causing the Mad Sword Emperor to instinctively stop in his tracks.


    The owner of the voice was none other than Kraush—the very person who had been tormenting him this entire time.


    Kraush uttered the name of the ck Witch as if he were intimately familiar with her.


    The Mad Sword Emperor couldn’t help but nce back, his eyes narrowing.


    Kraush stood before him, the Thunderstorm hanging loosely in one hand, wisps of smoke rising from his lips as he smiled for reasons the Mad Sword Emperor could not fathom.


    The sight made the Mad Sword Emperor’s brow twitch in irritation.


    Still smiling, Kraush raised his free hand slowly.


    Before the Mad Sword Emperor could question his actions.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    Blue mes erupted from Kraush’s upraised hand, zing vividly.


    These were no ordinary mes—they were pure Ignis, crafted entirely from aura.


    For a moment, confusion flickered across the Mad Sword Emperor’s face.


    <i>Screeech—</i>


    The sound of space tearing apart echoed behind him.


    Sensing danger, the Mad Sword Emperor immediately tried to throw himself toward the portal.


    But just as he nced through the space, his eyes were met with the sight of massive, pitch-ck tentacles emerging from the void.


    <i>Rrrumble!</i>


    Before he could process what was happening, dozens of enormous tentacles burst through the dark portal, tearing it open further and spilling into the outside world.


    “What the—ck Witch!?”


    The Mad Sword Emperor shouted in a mixture of anger and confusion at the sudden turn of events.


    It was only natural.


    The tentacles hadpletely blocked any chance for him to escape into the portal.


    Yet, the tentacles weren’t interested in him.


    Instead, they lunged toward Kraush with terrifying focus, their colossal size casting an oppressive darkness over the area.


    The ck Witch clearly desired Ignis, a power she could not afford to lose.


    But Kraush remained motionless, staring at the oing tentacles with a calm, detached gaze.


    He exhaled slowly, his eyes gleaming with purpose.


    “It’s done.”


    The moment Kraush spoke, a faint sound rang out.


    <i>Ping!</i>


    A de of light shot past Kraush, skimming just past his head, and hurtled toward the tentacles.


    <i>BOOOOM!</i>


    The tentacles exploded as if ink had burst from within them, shredded to pieces by the radiant de.


    The de of light continued its straight trajectory, slicing through the tentacles and flying directly at the Mad Sword Emperor.


    “What the—!?”


    The Mad Sword Emperor gasped, his body freezing for a split second as he processed the rapid turn of events.


    Realizing he couldn’t avoid the de in time, he swung his Blood Demonic Sword in a desperate attempt to block it.


    <i>KAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA!</i>


    Sparks erupted as the de of light shed with the Blood Demonic Sword, pushing the Mad Sword Emperor back with overwhelming force.


    Histe reaction to the ck Witch’s unexpected actions had cost him dearly, leaving him unable to properly defend himself.


    The de of light relentlessly pressed against his sword, driving both him and his weapon backward with crushing momentum.


    A scream almost escaped the Mad Sword Emperor’s lips, a testament to the absurd power of the de of light.


    If not for the Blood Demonic Sword, the light de would have shattered his weapon and driven directly into his body.


    Thud!


    The Mad Sword Emperor’s back mmed against one of the embedded Emperor’s Annihtion Swords, stopping his relentless retreat.


    But even this impact paled inparison to the crushing force of the de of light bearing down on him.


    His already battered arm screamed in agony, and now his remaining arm was on the verge of giving out as well.


    The blinding brilliance of the light de overwhelmed his vision, and for a moment, he felt as though his body might fuse with the Emperor’s Annihtion Sword behind him.


    Desperately, his blood surged wildly through his body, unleashing the power of the Blood Demonic Art Sword.


    <i>Kagagagagaga!</i>


    As the light de pushed against him, his muscles swelled grotesquely, veins bulging, as he tried to force it back.


    His body turned a vivid crimson, blood raging like a storm inside him.


    “—ck Witch!”


    He screamed her name, cursing her for her reckless actions.


    Whatever she had been blinded by, it felt like she had abandoned him entirely.


    <i>Step—</i>


    In that moment, he heard the distinct sound of footsteps approaching.


    His eyes moved instinctively toward the sound, and he spotted a familiar figure.


    It was a boy, his breath heavy, smoke curling from his lips, his hair now tinged red at the edges.


    It was none other than Kraush.


    mes red once more within Kraush’s body, and they poured into the Thunderstorm he held.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Lightning surged from the scabbard-like casing of the Thunderstorm, crackling with raw energy.


    The searing heat inside the scabbard shed violently with itself, amplifying the sword’s growing power.


    <i>Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!</i>


    The Mad Sword Emperor’s heart began to pound erratically, the rhythmic beat of panic and impending doom.


    Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger.


    The rm bells rang incessantly in his mind.


    The de of light pressing down on him seemed ready to shatter both his Blood Demonic Sword and his arm before crushing his heart into pulp.


    It was a situation where he couldn’t afford to spare even a shred of his strength elsewhere.


    If he were to take another direct hit like the previous one, there was no way he could withstand it.


    The moment his strength gave out, the de of light would tear his heart to pieces.


    He couldn’t, under any circumstances, allow Kraush’s strike tond.


    “—ck Witch! ck Witch!”


    Like a child crying out for their mother, the Mad Sword Emperor repeatedly screamed for the ck Witch.


    But no answer came.


    His bloodshot eyes trembled as Kraush slowly advanced toward him, step by step.


    To the Mad Sword Emperor, Kraush’s figure now resembled that of the Grim Reaper.


    “Stop! Don’te any closer, you bastard!”


    Despite his desperate curses, Kraush remained calm.


    His focus was absolute, his mind entirely immersed in the de he held.


    Within Kraush’s inner world, a storm of ck mes roared and surged upward, transforming into a massive spiral.


    The spiral climbed higher and higher until it touched the sky, eventually pouring into his sword, the Thunderstorm.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A sound like thunder reverberated through the battlefield as the scabbard encasing Kraush’s sword shattered all at once.


    “You goddamn bastard—aaaargh!”


    With a scream of desperation and fury, the Mad Sword Emperor iled against the inevitable.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Kraush’s de cut through the air, unleashing its devastating technique:


    <b>Annihtion Erosion</b>


    <b>Third Form</b>


    <b>Heavenly Thunder Annihtion</b>


    <i>Whoooosh!</i>


    A storm of ck mes and lightning swept through the battlefield in a deafening explosion.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The sound of something breaking echoed as the de of light reignited, zing brighter than ever.


    Trantors note: