Chapter 202
The Balrogs' silence didn't last long.
Kroooooooar!
A roar of elation, like the bellowing of beasts, erupted, shaking the entire arena.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
For the Balrog, a battle-loving race, combat was the meaning of life.
The very situation of a suddenly intruding human defeating one of their own and attempting to challenge the champion was the ultimate entertainment for them.
Zeke was dumbfounded, watching the Balrogs' excitement over his victory.
'What are these guys?'
A magic stone lay in the spot where the Balrog had turned to ash.
It was larger than the magic stone he had obtained earlier.
At that moment, a message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[Absorbing the Balrog's Magic Stone can recover consumed power.]
[Magic Stones obtained by defeating strong Balrogs grant more experience points.]
'Absorbing magic stones gives experience points?'
Unlike Orcs or Elves, it seemed Balrogs required direct absorption of magic stones to gain experience.
Zeke put the large magic stone into his inventory and took out the smaller one he had obtained earlier.
'Absorb.'
As he expressed his intent to absorb the magic stone, the light from the stone in his hand seeped into the mark on Zeke's chest.
[Absorbed the Balrog's Magic Stone and gained 100 experience points.]
[Recovered consumed health and mana.]
'100 points?'
Even though he had absorbed the magic stone of a relatively weak Balrog, the experience points gained were quite high.
Moreover, his health had also recovered, making it possible to accept consecutive challengers.
Zeke shouted towards the Balrogs,
"I have come to challenge the champion! Champion, come out!"
At Zeke's provocation, the Balrogs who had been watching from behind slowly began to move.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Among them, a large Balrog walked towards the arena.
[Butcher!]
[The Butcher has appeared!]
If it had such a title among the Balrogs, it must be quite strong.
The massive Balrog leaped and entered the arena without hesitation.
Kroooooooar!
True to its nature, the Balrog spread its wings wide and let out a tremendous roar.
It was even larger than the previous Balrog, appearing to be at least four meters tall.
[Insignificant human. I will kill you and chew you up!]
Then, the Butcher drew a massive sword it had been carrying on its back.
It seemed to be a weapon made from the bones of a demonic beast.
Zeke considered taking out Bahamut but decided to try facing it with the Infinite Chain Binding first.
Kugugung!
The Butcher charged at Zeke, wielding the massive bone sword.
Kwakwakwakwa!
The bone sword, heavily infused with demonic energy, swept across the arena floor towards Zeke.
Kwakwakwang!
The bone sword, possessing immense weight, devastated the spot where Zeke had been.
Zeke used the Phantom step to evade the bone sword and slipped into the Butcher's blind spot.
Whooosh!
At the same time, Zeke unleashed an explosive force towards the Balrog.
Thwack!
Zeke's explosive force landed accurately, but the Butcher didn't budge at all.
The Butcher's brow furrowed as it looked at Zeke.
[Human, you've learned some unorthodox fighting technique! Where did you dare to dabble in such things!]
The Butcher swung its bone sword like a windmill again, striking down at Zeke.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Unlike Arataso's swordsmanship, it was just a forceful sword, but its speed and weight were so great that even evading it was difficult.
Zeke composed himself, evaded the bone sword with the Phantom step, and looked for an opening.
The Butcher raised its bone sword high again and charged.
[Human! Die!]
Zeke, aiming for the large opening in the Butcher's wide movements, charged forward instead.
Pabababak!
Then, instead of one big attack, he precisely thrust several small attacks at the Butcher.
Zeke's explosive force relentlessly attacked the Butcher's left knee.
The Butcher sneered and swung its bone sword.
[Such petty tricks won't even tickle!]
Whooooosh!
Zeke narrowly avoided the bone sword.
Zeke lowered his body again and attacked the Butcher's left knee.
Thwack!
As he gradually became more accustomed to the attacks, Zeke began to unleash movements containing the essence of the Golden Sun Swordsmanship, rather than simple explosive force.
'What's this?'
The Solar Swordsmanship he had absorbed after devouring Lewis Marquiscio, who was a Death Knight, Agamemnon's Golden Swordsmanship, and Fab's Infinite Chain Binding all shared the same origin.
So, as he unfolded the Infinite Chain Binding, it seemed the movements of the Solar Golden Swordsmanship naturally unfolded on their own.
Whoooosh!
Zeke's movements, rapidly circling the Butcher and attacking, gradually became more fluid.
The Butcher couldn't keep up with Zeke's swift movements and swung its bone sword in the wrong direction.
Thwack!
The larger its movements, the more openings Zeke had to attack.
Zeke mixed the Vibrating Force Resonance into the Infinite Chain Binding's movements and unleashed the Solar Swordsmanship.
Swish!
Zeke's hand blade, creating a shockwave, sharply cut the Butcher's left knee.
Slash!
The Butcher, who hadn't been affected by Zeke's attacks at all, showed a reaction for the first time.
[Kuh!]
Thump!
The Butcher's left knee hit the ground.
Zeke didn't stop there.
Pabababak!
The essence of the Phantom step was none other than 'distance.'
The key was to maintain a distance where the opponent's attacks couldn't reach, but his own could, drawing the opponent into that range.
Closing the distance like a gale when attacking, and retreating like a gale to widen the distance when evading.
That was the very essence of the Phantom Step.
'I have so many skills that I haven't properly grasped the true meaning of each one.'
Zeke finally understood what the Infinite Chain Binding meant when it said that the hand could become a sword, and further, that the entire body could become a weapon.
To become a Red Knight, one had to reach the state of Sword and Self as One, where the sword and oneself become one.
Having broken through the wall of the Red Knight, Zeke had felt what Sword and Self as One was through long experience, but he had never seriously contemplated it.
This was because he had too many talents and skills, and didn't have the leisure to focus on mastering a single technique.
With his abilities sealed by the constraints of the Inverted Tower, he had finally realized the source of his true power.
Whoooooom!
A wave of energy rippled throughout Zeke's body.
Sharp energy surged from both of his hands.
Zeke rushed towards the Butcher at a rapid speed.
Slash!
Agamemnon's Golden Swordsmanship unfolded from Zeke's hand.
And the moment he turned to the side, the Paladin's Solar Swordsmanship unfolded.
As he turned again, the Northern Ranger's martial arts unfolded from his feet.
All these movements happened in an instant.
Pabababak!
[Cough!]
The Butcher couldn't come to its senses from Zeke's continuous attacks.
It gripped its bone sword and swung it wildly.
[Kroaaaaaaak!]
Zeke vividly felt his five senses through the domain of the shockwave that unfolded around his body.
The Butcher's bone sword looked as slow as if time had stopped.
Zeke narrowly moved to evade the Butcher's bone sword.
Then, he extended his fist and struck the blade of the bone sword.
Crack!
It seemed like a light tap, but the hard bone sword shattered into pieces. The Butcher roared, seeing its broken bone sword.
[Kroaaaaaaak!]
A massive demonic energy surged from its body.
As if the bone sword had regrown, a huge sword condensed from demonic energy flew towards Zeke with the force to cleave him in two.
Even this sword looked as if it had stopped in Zeke's eyes.
He drew upon the power of his Full Body Spirit Energy.
Spirit energy
Will of Strength.
Zeke focused the Will of Strength on his right arm.
Then, he also focused the shockwave of the Vibrating Force Resonance.
At the same time, he unleashed the Infinite Chain Binding towards the Butcher.
Agamemnon's Golden Swordsmanship
Counterattack
Majesty of the Golden Sword
Zeke's hand blade became a sword and deflected the Butcher's sword.
And as the Infinite Chain Binding activated, Zeke's attack immediately pierced through.
Paladin Solar Swordsmanship
Secret Technique
Flowing Blade
Zeke's hand blades, curving like wings, exploded against the Butcher's body.
Kwakwakwakwa!
A powerful shockwave struck the Butcher's body and seeped inside, vibrating its demonic energy.
[Krrrruk!]
As the demonic energy enveloping the Butcher's body scattered, it staggered backward.
Zeke leaped into the air and swung his hand blade towards the Butcher's horns.
Dragon Slayer Art
Phantom step
Wind Blade
Zeke's hand blade cleanly severed the Butcher's horns.
[Kroaaaaak!]
The Butcher, its horns cut off, let out a final scream before turning to ash and scattering.
Zeke, who had jumped, landed in the arena in a stable stance.
At the same time, a message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[Acquired the unique skill Infinite Chain Binding (S-Rank).]
[The unique skill 'Solar Golden Swordsmanship (A-Rank)' has been absorbed into this skill.]
A change occurred in the stagnant unique skill category.
'Finally, the Infinite Chain Binding has been registered as a unique skill.'
Having grasped the essence of the Infinite Chain Binding, it seemed the Solar Golden Swordsmanship skill, which shared the same roots, had also been absorbed into it.
Zeke once again felt that his level had been only half of what it could be.
'Since the skill's utility is high, I might have relied on it too much. Even if I leave the tower, I need to be careful not to become complacent with my skills.'
Zeke thought that the clue to advancing beyond the Red Knight to a Black Knight lay here.
The realm beyond the state of Sword and Self as One.
He vowed again that he would definitely reach that realm.
As the Butcher fell by Zeke's hand, the atmosphere among the Balrogs changed noticeably from before.
[The Butcher, at the hands of a human?]
[To defeat the Butcher... incredible.]
It seemed the Balrog called the Butcher had been a considerable powerhouse.
It was then.
Kugugugugu!
Suddenly, the arena where Zeke stood began to split in half.
Then, a new arena floor rose from the ground.
'What is this?'
The arena floor had been ordinary dirt before, but this time it was different.
Sharp bones of demonic beasts were densely embedded around the arena, and sharp blades were packed tightly into the arena walls.
The Balrogs began to get excited again.
[The Champion!]
[Tyrant! The Tyrant has appeared!]
A moment later, a high platform rose on one side of the arena.
Kugugugugu!
There was a massive throne, and someone was sitting on it.
The apex of the arena, with horns larger and longer than any other Balrog.
The Champion had revealed itself.
Thump!
The Champion, sitting on the throne, slowly rose.
Clad in black armor that covered its entire body, and holding a red sword radiating a sinister aura in its hand.
It looked down at Zeke from atop the throne.
'That's the champion? It's not as big as I thought.'
Unlike the Butcher, it might be a Balrog that specialized in swift attacks.
It was then.
[Human. You said you would challenge me.]
The Champion looked at Zeke, its eyes emitting a red glow.
And at that moment, the Champion's body began to swell.
'Huh?'
Crack!
The Champion's body swelled and instantly transformed into a completely different form.
Zeke was startled by the transformed Champion's appearance.
'That's... a dragon?'
The transformed Champion had become a massive demonic beast resembling a dragon.
As the Champion revealed its true form, the Balrogs became excited.
[Tyrant! Tyrant! Tyrant!]
[Kill! Kill! Kill the human!]
Zeke understood why the Balrogs called the Champion a tyrant.
'At that point, isn't that beyond what you'd call a Balrog?'
Crack!
The Tyrant, having completely transformed, bared its sharp teeth and claws at Zeke, roaring.
[I accept your challenge! But the price will be your life!]
The Tyrant soared into the air and opened its mouth towards him.
Whoooooom!
Massive demonic energy gathered inside the Tyrant's mouth.
Soon, the Tyrant unleashed a compressed magic blast towards Zeke.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!
The powerful magic blast completely swept away the spot where Zeke had been.
'Tch!'
Zeke quickly evaded the Tyrant's magic blast using the Flight Footwork.
He composed himself, looking at the Balrog that had transformed into a dragon.
'A dragon, huh. Come to think of it, this might actually be for the best.'
Zeke steeled his resolve and took out Bahamut from his inventory.
Whoooooom!
A pleasant sword hum resonated from Bahamut, which he held after a long time.
He held the sword and raised his aura.
Crack!
The amount of mana consumed when using aura was noticeably reduced compared to before.
'So much unnecessary power had been leaking out until now.'
Zeke finally understood the advice Rex Turunn had given him.
Being too focused on one thing without any 余裕 (yoyu - leeway/margin) prevented him from emptying himself, and without emptying, he couldn't fill anew.
Zeke held his sword and relaxed all the muscles in his body.
He had finally gained a true understanding of releasing strength that he had learned from Kaisir.
Zeke opened his eyes in an instant and swung his sword towards the Tyrant floating in the air.
Crack!
The lightly swung sword strike grazed the Tyrant's wing.
[Arrogant human...]
The enraged Tyrant's body was engulfed in demonic energy.
Kwakwakwakwa!
It circled in the air and then immediately charged towards Zeke.
It was as if a black spear was piercing the earth.
Zeke remained unfazed, gripped his sword, and took a stance.
He took a step forward and swung his sword towards the Tyrant.
Dragon Slayer Art
Second Form
Dragon Slayer Art
The secret technique of the Dragon Slayer Sword Art unfolded towards the Tyrant.