Chapter 442: Going All Out, After So Long!
"Shameless!"
"Huh?!"
"Absolutely shameless!"
"H-Huh?!"
"I never knew you were this kind of person, Stella!"
"HUH?!"
Even Luke could not stop himself from complaining.
Stella knew Luke would never actually kill her, which meant she had practically placed herself in an unbeatable position from the start.
It was the ultimate shameless tactic.
'I might not be able to beat you, but you definitely can't kill me.'
"What?!"
"I'm not breaking any rules!"
"This is an ability I developed myself!"
Stella puffed up indignantly.
"I know I can't beat you in a genuine fight to the death… but at least…"
"In a tournament, I finally have a chance to win!"
"This is only the first step. I've only just awakened my true ability."
"If I can defeat you in a match now, that's already enough for me."
"I can still become stronger."
"One day… one day, I'll truly surpass you!"
Stella understood the gap between herself and Luke better than anyone.
It was not merely a difference in raw power.
Technique, experience, judgment—there were countless areas where Luke still surpassed her.
So even though she was effectively impossible to kill, Stella did not relax in the slightest.
She knew how powerful Luke was.
She absolutely refused to believe that the man who had kept her firmly beneath him all this time would simply run out of options and lose.
More importantly, using the overwhelming power of Dragon Spirit came with its own price.
And at this point, Luke would no longer hold back either.
Everything that followed would be extremely dangerous for both of them.
But after coming this far, Stella could think of no other way to defeat Luke except by giving everything she had!
So—
Boom—!
The ground instantly shattered into countless pieces.
The battlefield, already nearly reduced to molten rock, was crushed apart beneath Stella's foot.
Unlike Luke, whose movements wasted no force and produced almost no sound, every movement Stella made now shook heaven and earth.
Yet her speed and strength were no less terrifying.
Empowered by absurd physical strength and monstrous mana, Stella instantly appeared before Luke.
Laevateinn came crashing down toward his head!
Before the blade even landed, it unleashed an overwhelming gale and shockwave.
The uncontrolled force battered the surrounding barriers relentlessly.
One defensive layer after another, maintained by professional Mage-Knights, shattered apart.
Without their preparations, this single strike might have reduced the venue to ruins again.
Countless Mage-Knights were blasted backward.
New personnel immediately rushed forward to replace them.
A casual sword swing alone now carried this much destructive force.
Calling Stella's improvement a mere qualitative change was no longer enough!
However—
"If you think…"
Starfall Sword's black blade transformed into a streak of light.
Although Luke moved second, his sword arrived first and slammed into the golden greatsword!
Boom—!
A deafening explosion and terrifying shockwave tore through the surroundings.
At some point, Luke had already returned Ser-Veresta to its sheath.
He now gripped Starfall Sword with both hands and blocked Stella's monstrous blow with strength no weaker than her own.
Then, at the instant their swords collided—
Starfall Sword erupted with unprecedented light!
The mana stored within Sword Sheath of Tranquility poured endlessly into Luke's body.
Without the slightest pause, all of it surged directly into Starfall Sword.
Crack—!
With a crisp sound, Laevateinn was cut cleanly in two!
Unexpectedly, Stella suffered no reaction whatsoever from having her Device severed.
Instead, she smiled beautifully.
Endless flames wrapped around both hands, and the golden greatsword immediately formed again.
This time, Laevateinn passed beyond Starfall Sword and closed directly on Luke's body.
Under Dragon Spirit, the Laevateinn in Stella's hands was no longer the physical form of her Device.
A Device was the manifestation of a Blazer's soul.
At this moment, Stella's soul itself had been projected onto her own body.
The true Laevateinn had become part of the concept of "dragon" possessing Stella.
The weapon in her hands was merely an extension.
Destroying it caused no damage whatsoever to Stella herself.
That was also why Luke's instincts had warned him whenever he tried to sever Laevateinn earlier.
Their blades passed each other.
Under normal circumstances, both attacks would land.
But the damage they suffered would be completely different.
Stella had no reason to fear injury.
Luke did.
That sword would not kill him, but he did not possess the absurd regeneration of a mythical creature.
Luke's usual method of trading injuries no longer worked against Stella.
However—
That assumed Stella's attack could actually hit him!
Slash—!
Steel cut through flesh.
Blood sprayed outward.
A severed arm spun through the air!
The hand still gripped a golden two-handed greatsword!
At some point, Luke's left hand had released Starfall Sword and grasped Ser-Veresta.
Ominous black flames wrapped around its white blade of light.
A battoujutsu strike flashed like lightning—
And severed Stella's arm cleanly!
Blood erupted from the wound and splashed across both fighters.
The sight was brutally intense.
The audience held their breath, staring at the horrifying scene in disbelief.
Yet neither Luke nor Stella showed the slightest change in expression.
Luke remained cold and ruthless.
Stella's determination did not waver.
That impression lasted less than a second.
The severed arm and golden greatsword dissolved into flames while still flying through the air.
At the same time, raging fire erupted from Stella's severed shoulder.
The flames flashed—And a completely new arm instantly formed!
Even while regenerating, Stella's previous attack never truly stopped.
Using the momentum of her charge, she clenched her restored hand into a fist and smashed it toward Luke!
Thump—!
Boom—!
A thunderous explosion erupted like a missile impact!
The enormous force passed through Luke's position and directly blasted apart the stands behind him.
A gigantic tunnel was punched through the dome itself!
Countless Mage-Knights maintaining the defensive barrier spat blood as they were thrown through the air.
Many crashed to the ground and could not rise for a long time.
Yet Luke, the direct target of the attack, had not been sent flying.
He had released Ser-Veresta with his left hand.
That hand was now tightly gripping Stella's small fist, stopping the blow directly in front of his chest.
Fist and palm remained locked together.
Terrifying force accumulated between them.
In the next instant, Stella clenched her left fist as well.
She punched again with the same force—
No.
With even greater force!
In that brief exchange, Stella had already grown stronger.
For the sake of defeating Luke, she had evolved once again within the span of only a few moments!
But Starfall Sword moved first.
Slash—!
The black sword light struck Stella mercilessly!
A massive wound opened across her body.
Blood poured out uncontrollably.
Luke did not stop!
Taking advantage of the brief weakening in Stella's strength after being wounded, his left hand tightened around her fist and lifted her entire body into the air.
"If you think this is enough to defeat me—"
"You're seriously underestimating me!"
Then Luke slammed Stella violently into the ground!
Boom—!
For an instant—
Heaven and earth shook!
…
…
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