The execution ground of the Asura Kingdom.
A fierce battle between Eris and Aubel is raging.
Because the fighting skill of Sword King and the Northern Emperor are so high that ordinary people can't join this level of battle at all. Plus, Darius is still on guard against Ghislaine, who hasn't appeared until now. So, almost only the sound of the two people fighting goes off non-stop at the scene. Everyone around is watching the battle intently.
"Boom!"
Facing the various sneaky tricks used by Northern Emperor Aubel, Eris, who couldn't cope with them at all at the beginning, has gradually begun to adapt.
No matter what methods the opponent uses, she goes regardless, with a spirit as if to completely tear the space apart, and uses a袈裟 (kesa) slash in a big overhead stance to cut at Aubel.
"Haaaaaa!"
Seeing Eris's movements, Aubel looked calm and unhurried, trying to weaken the opponent's strength while secretly using various hidden weapons.
But because Eris chose to fight regardless, willing to risk being injured herself in order to hit Aubel, she forced her way to Aubel's side. Her body was clearly pierced by hidden weapons, but she still looked desperately at Aubel's body.
"Clap!"
In everyone's eyes, Northern Emperor Aubel was split in half by Eris's sword.
Just as everyone was dumbfounded, never expecting such a result, they found that Eris herself, who swung this sword, showed a disgusted expression and clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Everyone soon realized that what was cut in half was not Aubel's body, but a strangely shaped round piece of wood wearing a cloak.
Aubel used this substitute to avoid Eris's attack, and once again used an unseen trick, reaching out and throwing a grappling hook, grabbing the roof eaves not far away.
Using this special three-dimensional maneuver gear, Aubel, like a monkey in the forest, made extremely unbelievable movements in the air, instantly appearing behind Eris.
"It's over!"
Facing Eris, who had no time to defend, Aubel showed a cold smile, and then pierced Eris's shoulder with a sword, kicking the red-haired girl off the stage.
"Cough..."
Eris rolled several times on the ground, her blood staining the earth red.
A bitter expression appeared on her face. She didn't seem to expect that she would lose so inexplicably. Even if the opponent was the Northern Emperor, she was unwilling to welcome such a defeat.
"You're already very strong, Mad Sword King."
Aubel looked at Eris and smiled, "To become a Sword King at such a young age, with such talent, you are destined to go further... If you can survive, you will definitely have a place among the Emperor ranks of the Holy Land of Swords."
Eris ignored Aubel's comforting words.
Even seriously injured, she still struggled to get up from the ground, showing an attitude of never admitting defeat even if it meant risking her life.
"Eris, that's enough."
As all this happened, Ariel's voice came from not far away.
After witnessing the whole battle and seeing such a result, this princess could no longer sit still and stopped Eris from continuing her life-risking battle.
Seeing this scene, Darius couldn't help but ridicule, "Oh dear, oh dear, Princess Ariel, what does this mean? Do you have some connection with this criminal who attacked the execution ground? Could it be that this attack was organized by you?"
"..."
Ariel was not affected by Darius's obviously knowing question.
At least she didn't seem to be affected on the surface, and responded calmly, "I don't know what Minister Darius is talking about, but that Northern Emperor on the stage, how come he feels somewhat similar to the assassin who attacked me at the last banquet."
"You..."
Darius showed a disgusted expression at Ariel's counterattack.
He ignored Ariel's appearance and completely focused his attention on Eris, waiting until this Sword King from Ariel's faction was killed, which would greatly weaken Ariel's faction's power.
Because he was so focused on Eris's life and death, Darius didn't notice that some changes had taken place in the position where the guards were next to him.
A figure gradually appeared from the shadows, and came to Darius's side without anyone knowing.
"Quick, Aubel, kill this assassin!"
Darius excitedly shouted, hoping that Aubel would quickly kill Eris.
Aubel was a little unwilling about this, but he wouldn't refuse the other party's request, and silently drew the sword from his waist, about to take Eris's life.
At this moment, the eyes of everyone at the scene were focused on Aubel and Eris.
Therefore, no one noticed that beside Darius, a killing intent was sweeping out like a raging tide!
"Crash!!!!"
Fierce sword shadows suddenly swept like a storm.
The guards beside Darius suddenly fell down completely, having no time to react, and were instantly wiped out.
Darius himself didn't realize what had happened at all. The moment he reacted, he only saw a ray of dark sword light rushing towards his face!
"No!!!"
Darius let out a twisted wail. He could almost clearly feel the approach and arrival of death!
Ghislaine, who had killed her way out of the shadows, completely stopped controlling her killing intent. She gathered all of her strength into this one sword, trying to completely kill Darius!
Yes, from the beginning of this execution event, Ariel's faction had discussions and finally made a judgment - it was impossible to save Sauros.
Because Darius and the First Prince's faction had too much power, in the current situation, they had no way to forcibly rescue people from the execution ground. In the end, they would only be sending themselves to their deaths in vain.
In order to solve this problem, Ariel finally came up with a solution.
Since there was no way to rescue Sauros, why not simply turn the tables and change the way of thinking from saving people to simply killing people!
As long as Darius, the culprit of everything, was killed, the First Prince's faction's strength would naturally be greatly weakened.
Those Northern Emperors and Northern Kings were originally private soldiers hired by Darius with his own money. Once Darius, the employer, was dead, they probably wouldn't do anything else and would disperse on their own.
Based on this idea, Ariel's side made a plan.
She had Eris attack the execution ground first, ostensibly to rescue Sauros, but in reality it was just a feigned attack.
By diverting Darius's attention, they could lay the groundwork and prepare for the real assassination plan.
When Darius and everyone else present were focused on Eris, completely unaware of the surrounding environment, Ghislaine would kill her way out of the shadows, and at a key moment, complete the assassination of Darius!
The whole plan can be said to be very perfect. It was the only plan that Ariel racked her brains to come up with that could save herself and save everyone.
Eris and Ghislaine's execution was also seamless.
Eris delayed Northern Emperor Aubel for long enough, causing Darius to lose patience, while Ghislaine sneaked into Darius's camp in advance, hiding by Darius's side.
Both Sword Kings had done their best, and there was no better action than this.
However, problems still occurred.
The problem wasn't that there was anything wrong with Eris and Ghislaine's actions, nor was there anything wrong with Ariel's plan.
Everything was perfect.
The only thing they miscalculated was underestimating the existence beside Darius - the current Water God, Reida Reia!
"Boom!"
At the moment Ghislaine's sword pierced towards Darius at an extremely fast speed, an invisible storm suddenly swept across the entire scene.
The violent wind made it impossible for many nobles to even stand still, and their steps were so weak that it was as if they could float away at any moment.
Ghislaine's movements were also affected by this violent wind. Her originally accurate stab was deflected in a way that was beyond her control.
But Ghislaine had already anticipated that her actions might be stopped, so she almost bet everything on this one sword, completely concentrating all her magic power and fighting spirit in advance, to the point where she might faint instantly after stabbing this sword.
So, she forcibly ignored the wind pressure attacking her, concentrated all her strength and weight on one point, and tried to stab the sword in her hand into Darius's body.
"Crack!"
However, Ghislaine's movements were still stopped after all.
That short old woman with deep wrinkles all over her skin appeared between Ghislaine and Darius at some point. She planted her beautiful gold sword on the ground like a cane, and with just this one action, Ghislaine's full-force sword was passively knocked to the ground.
"Gar's disciple, you have done very well, but unfortunately, it's not time for this man to die yet."
Water God Reida looked at Ghislaine with a calm gaze, and kicked Ghislaine's sword away with a foot without any movement of her body, piercing straight into the beams not far away.
Although Ghislaine lost the sword in her hand, she didn't give up. She tried her best to strangle Darius to death with her own claws and kill him.
But the Water God threw her away with one move, completely symbolizing the failure of this assassination attempt.
"Th... Thank you."
Darius watched the assassin being kicked away and that he had survived. He couldn't help but look at the Water God gratefully.
But Reida didn't even look at him, as if he had never existed, turned around indifferently, and silently returned to her seat.
At this point, the Ariel faction's last struggle completely ended.
The scales of fate began to tilt completely in the opposite direction of their victory.
"Ya, ya, that old Water God is getting more and more frightening as she gets older. I feel like no one in the human race except Sword God can match her."
Aubel opened his mouth helplessly, "It's a pity that the Water God has rarely fought against people until now, and even never leaves the Water God Style dojo half a step. Otherwise, she would definitely be on the Seven Great Powers list. The young Northern God III is no match for her... But speaking of which, the names on the Seven Great Powers list recently seem to have changed. The seventh place has changed from Northern God to a guy named Shirou. Who is that person? I've never even heard of him before? It's really baffling."
"Shirou?"
Hearing Aubel's words, Eris, lying on the ground, looked moved.
She had been staying in the Holy Land of Swords all these years, so she didn't know that Shirou had already been ranked seventh on the Power list.
Hearing Aubel's words now, she urgently wanted to know about Shirou's news, but before she could ask, she was greeted by a sharp long sword.
"Alright, the extra drama is over, it's time to go back to our battle."
Aubel looked at Eris with a cold expression, "This time there shouldn't be any interference, it's time to make a decision."
"..."
Eris didn't say anything to Aubel's words.
She just silently gripped the sword in her hand, knowing that she no longer had the strength to fight, but still unwilling to admit defeat, preferring to face death while standing.
"Eris..."
Seeing Eris's actions, the person with the most complicated emotions on the field was none other than Ariel.
She knew better than anyone that once Eris died here, the faction she represented would collapse instantly, and they would be unable to resist Darius at all.
She should have felt despair and helplessness.
But the emotions that enveloped her right now were not so shallow.
Rather than those, Ariel was actually in a state of calm at the moment. She began to silently recall everything that had happened so far, recalling her bitter life that had never achieved any real victory, and realized that she had lived to this day, and had been through many hardships and sorrows, but had never felt regret.
Clearly there was no need to participate in the king's competition from the beginning, clearly she could have given up inheriting the throne when she was assassinated, clearly she could have stayed there after going to Magic University, and never returned to Asura Kingdom...
There were countless times in her life to escape from this desperate situation, to give up experiencing this indescribable pain and torment.
But she had never chosen to do so.
Looking back now, she realized the true feelings deep in her heart - she wanted to become king, wanted to live up to the expectations of those around her, and become the ruler of the Asura Kingdom.
If that were the case, she would be able to respond to everyone's hopes, allow the dead to rest in peace, and allow the living to express their blessings and gratitude from the bottom of their hearts.
Although she had not been able to succeed now, and had not been able to fulfill the things that others hoped for.
But she didn't regret her choice either.
If she could choose again, she would still take the same path, even if it meant experiencing the same sad ending.
Until this moment, Ariel finally understood what kind of emotion she had felt when she saw Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works back then.
It was a special emotion, as if her own heart had been described with actual images, and she was moving forward together with someone who shared the same wishes.
This emotion was so strong that Ariel couldn't describe it in words.
She only knew that her heart right now wanted to see the scenery she had seen back then again...
Just once...
If she could just see it one more time...
In Ariel's heart, complicated emotions lingered and ten thousand thoughts flew past, and finally the figure of that red-haired youth emerged at the moment that Aubel's sword had already swung towards Eris.
"Clang,"
However, after the sword swung down, there was no sound of swords tearing through flesh and blood. What appeared at the scene and echoed throughout the execution platform was the crisp sound of swords colliding against each other.
Eris, who was lying on the ground, widened her eyes at this moment. She looked at the figure in front of her in disbelief, and murmured in an unbelievable tone, "Shirou... Brother, is that you?"
"Ah, it's me."
Shirou turned his back to Aubel, silently blocking the Northern Emperor's attack, and smiled at Eris, "Don't be afraid, Eris, because I've already come."