Sloth's bloodshot eyes fixated on the six-colored quasi Spirits dancing around Julius, his parched lips contorted into a grotesque expression. He suddenly turned to Subaru.
"A Spirit Arts User...!" His skeletal fingers frantically clawed at his cheeks, "Is this also a trap meticulously designed by you!?
The black giant hands twisted restlessly behind him, like enraged vipers, "I... have never suffered such a humiliation!"
Subaru leaned leisurely against Patrasche's side, "Is that so?" She tilted her head, revealing an innocent smile, "Then that's the highest praise for me~" Suddenly, her gaze turned cold, "But compared to the crimes you've committed, this 'humiliation' is far from enough."
She straightened up, her right hand sharply swinging down. "Act! Julius!"
"As you command."
A composed smile hung on the purple-haired knight's lips. The longsword in his hand suddenly burst forth with dazzling white light, and the surrounding air began to stir restlessly. Red, blue, green, and yellow quasi Spirits danced cheerfully, tracing brilliant arcs in the air.
"Don't underestimate me!" Sloth laughed hysterically, and more black giant hands surged from behind him. "Just a Spirit Arts User! As long as I tear you all to shreds... then deal with the rest! The Trial can begin anew!"
"My diligence! Absolutely! Cannot! Welcome the end and demise of Sloth!"
Julius unhurriedly raised his longsword, and the six-colored Lesser Spirits converged into a dazzling orb of light at its tip.
"Al Clarista!"
In an instant, dozens of black giant hands surged towards Julius like a tide, enveloping him entirely in a pitch-black cocoon. A twisted, victorious smile appeared on Sloth's face, his fingers already impatiently beginning to tighten.
"Boom!!!"
A pure white light suddenly erupted from within the black cocoon, the magic power of six attributes perfectly fused, forming a brilliant radiance. The black giant hands were like fragile tissue paper in this light, easily torn to shreds, transforming into black mist and dissipating into the air.
Sloth stared blankly at his easily shattered authority, his parched lips mumbling as if in a dream:
"No... this is impossible... how could you see..." His fingers began to claw at his cheeks again, "My Unseen Hand... besides me... no one should be able to see it..."
He suddenly hugged his messy green hair, curling up like a lost child. "Why... why are there two others who can see besides me?!" He looked up at the sky, his voice filled with a heartbroken sob, "Witch-sama! Why is this?!"
Subaru, standing behind, curved her lips into a cunning arc. She casually played with the magical artifact in her hand. "Not quite~ Actually, only I can truly see it. Magic is truly a wondrous thing, what Julius saw... was merely the image I shared with him."
Julius gracefully twirled his sword, "The magic of shared vision, though its duration is limited... it's more than enough to deal with you."
Sloth's body stiffened. He slowly raised his head, his cloudy eyes turning crimson from congestion: "You... you dare..." His voice squeezed through his teeth, "to mock me... to profane the authority granted to me by Witch-sama..."
"Damn it... damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!!!"
With this hysterical roar, the void behind him suddenly twisted and deformed. Dozens of Unseen Hands proliferated wildly, their pitch-black limbs dancing madly in the air, obscuring the sky. The giant hands sometimes tangled together, then spread out, looking very much like a blooming flower of death.
Subaru looked up at this terrifying sight, thinking inappropriately, 'If I dyed these hands orange-red, and removed a few fingers... it would be perfect for cosplaying a certain nine-tailed fox.'
Julius calmly closed his eyes, the six-colored light coalescing on his blade as splendid as a rainbow.
"With your eyes... please allow me... to be your sharp sword to cut through the darkness!"
— — — — — —
Julius stood with his eyes closed, the longsword in his hand radiating a pure white light, and six-colored quasi Spirits circled him like loyal guards. Each swing of the sword cut through the air with a crisp hum.
"Swish"
"Swish"
"Swish"
Each brilliant sword light severed all incoming Unseen Hands. The moment the pitch-black limbs were cut off, they transformed into black mist and dissipated.
Sloth hysterically controlled his authority, launching attacks from various tricky angles.
Giant hands ambushing from underground were impaled into the ground with a single sword stroke.
Claws diving from high above were cut off with a horizontal slash.
Attacks flanking from left and right were shredded by the whirling sword light.
"This is impossible... this is impossible!" Veins bulged on Sloth's forehead. He had never experienced such a frustrating battle; his most prized authority was like child's play in front of this knight with his eyes closed!
He suddenly changed tactics, several giant hands feigning an attack on Julius, but the real killing blow circled from the side towards Subaru in the distance!
"I got her!" He grinned hideously.
However
"Too naive."
Julius's figure flickered like a ghost, his sword light drawing a perfect arc, severing the ambushing giant hand at its root.
"Damn it! Damn it!" Sloth frantically tore at his hair, "To use such a despicable method! Such a base trick!"
His voice was distorted and changed by anger, "You are despising me! Disregarding my loyalty to Witch-sama!"
Subaru, behind him, watched the farce with her hand propping her chin. "Oh my, getting angry already? You look just like a child who can't get candy right now~"
"Why... why!" Sloth's cloudy tears welled from his bloodshot eyes, "I am loved! Deeply cherished by Witch-sama!"
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a deafening explosion ripped through the sky, and brilliant magical fireworks bloomed in the distant heavens. The light of magic power swirled in the sky, exactly the signal Carlisle had arranged beforehand.
Subaru looked up at the dazzling sight, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turning upwards. The dawn of victory was reflected in her golden pupils. "Julius! It's time to end this farce!"
The knight smiled slightly at her words, the longsword in his hand suddenly bursting forth with even more dazzling light. "It seems... it's time to unleash my true power and slay you."
"What did you say?!" Sloth's face became even more grotesque with shock, "You mean... the battle just now... you were holding back?!"
Julius did not answer. He bent his knees slightly, then leaped high into the air! Yin Attribute gravity magic wrapped around him, making his figure as light as a feather. With his longsword extended forward, he transformed into a purple streaking light, dashing towards Sloth!
"Die!!!" Sloth roared hysterically, all remaining Unseen Hands erupting simultaneously! The pitch-black giant hands obscured the sky, pouring down like a torrential rain upon the knight in the air!
"Phla Ilium!"
The six-colored light on the blade suddenly surged, transforming into a torrent of light! The black giant hands melted away instantly like ice and snow encountering sunlight! The undiminished beam, after crushing all defenses, condensed into a pure white orb of light, violently striking Sloth's chest!
"Boom!"
Sloth's body flew backward like a broken kite, crashing heavily against the cliff face. Rocks splattered, dust flew, and his robe became tattered from the impact.
"Cough, cough...!" He coughed up a mouthful of blood, looking up to see Julius diving down from high above, the tip of his sword pointing directly at his heart!
"Don't think you'll succeed! Ur Do"
"El Minya!"
Subaru's incantation was faster than his! A purple crystal arrow shimmered with deadly light. The arrow shot through the air, precisely piercing Sloth's casting hand, pinning him firmly to the rock wall!
"Ah ah ah!!!" Sloth let out a heart-wrenching scream, watching helplessly as the purple figure drew closer and closer.
"Chink!"
The longsword plunged into his heart without resistance, and six-colored light burst forth from the wound, flowing through Sloth's body like a rainbow.
"This sword that commands six attributes..." Julius's voice was like a judgment, "will tear your soul to shreds... fly to the other side of the rainbow!"
Sloth's broken body suddenly twitched strangely, and he squeezed out a maniacal smile.
"No... it won't end this easily! I will... I will diligently live again!" His blood-stained finger trembled as he pointed at Subaru, "Witch-sama... please grant me a new vessel!"
Subaru's pupils suddenly contracted, she was too familiar with this scene. In the last loop, it was at this very moment! She was forcibly possessed. The girl unhesitatingly dispelled the shared vision magic, and the scene before Julius's eyes instantly returned to normal.
"Hmm?"
Julius noticed the anomaly, Sloth, who had just been struggling on the verge of death, suddenly lost all vital signs, falling like an empty shell. However, a painful groan suddenly came from behind.
"Ugh...!"
Julius spun around abruptly, only to see Subaru kneeling on the ground, her slender fingers digging deep into the soil. Her body trembled violently, and fine beads of sweat seeped from her forehead, as if she were fighting against some invisible force.
"Subaru!"
"Don't worry about me! Julius!" Subaru looked up, forcing out a reassuring smile.
"Come! Let me show you what even the Witch desires!"
— — — — — —
In the depths of Subaru's soul, Sloth's consciousness drifted aimlessly. He looked around in confusion, the sight before him utterly baffling.
"Why... is there a sword here?"
His parched voice echoed in the void. Throughout the long years, he had possessed countless people... but he had never seen such a bizarre sight, a sword residing in someone's soul!
Out of instinct, he reached out to touch the hilt.
"Blaze Draw!"
A deafening roar suddenly erupted from the sword! Blazing flames surged forth like a furious tide, instantly engulfing Sloth's soul!
"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!!"
In the real world, Sloth's previously cold body suddenly sprang up, letting out heart-wrenching screams. Sacred flames spewed from his seven orifices, yet strangely did not burn his clothes or skin. He frantically clawed at his face, his fingernails leaving deep bloody marks on his cheeks.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah! What is this!? Please! Stop!" His voice was no longer human, but more like the dying wail of a beast, "Witch-sama! Save me!!!!"
Julius saw that Sloth had revived and quickly went to finish him off.
"Wait, Julius."
Subaru reached out to stop the knight who was about to step forward, her voice unusually calm, her golden eyes intently fixed on Sloth, who was writhing and screaming in flames on the ground, his cries as miserable as if he were suffering the most terrifying torture in the world.
Julius's grip on his sword tightened slightly. "But Subaru, this..."
"Just a little longer." Subaru shook her head gently, her black hair swaying with the movement.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!"
Sloth's screams became even more piercing, his skeletal fingers digging deep into the soil, his fingernails torn and bleeding. In the flames, his body twisted in unnatural postures.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of torment, the flames gradually extinguished. Surprisingly, Sloth was still alive. He lay weakly on the ground, his chest heaving violently, each breath accompanied by painful spasms.
Julius stepped forward again, his longsword gleaming coldly in the sunlight. But Subaru stopped him once more.
Just then
"Where... where is this?"
A gentle voice, never heard before, came from Sloth's mouth, completely unlike his previous madness. Julius's body suddenly stiffened, his longsword almost slipping from his hand.
He watched in disbelief as the man slowly raised his head, his face no longer twisted with madness, but instead filled with a heartbreaking serenity. Beneath his green hair were clear, limpid eyes, now brimming with tears.
"Wh-what's going on?" Julius's voice trembled with shock, "Who... who are you, really?"
But the other person seemed not to hear his question. The man suddenly clutched his head in pain, memories flooding back like a tide, tears falling in large drops to the ground.
"No... no...! Fortuna! What have I... done!"
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.