'…My Ether reserves have increased almost fivefold…'
Noah stood amidst the ruined battlefield, his breathing still uneven, yet his mind remained frighteningly clear. His Mind's Eye expanded outward, capturing every minute detail of the gigantic Abyssal Sand-Worm ahead—the subtle contraction of its muscles, the ripple of Abyssal Energy beneath its skin, the rhythm of its movement.
'…Then I should be able to use Invisible Slash again.'
His grip tightened around the black blade, his gaze sharpening.
The Giant Sand-Worm surged forward like a living catastrophe, its colossal body dragging across the corpse-littered ground, sending bones and remains scattering in every direction. Behind it, the Cerberus moved in coordination, deliberately positioning themselves in its shadow—using the monster as a living shield.
Noah's Mind's Eye narrowed slightly as his thoughts accelerated.
'So that's your plan… use the giant to exhaust me… then finish me off.'
A faint, cold smile formed.
'You're smarter than I expected.'
He didn't move.
Not a single step.
Instead, he slowly lifted his sword, its tip aligning directly toward the incoming monstrosity, his body settling into a refined stance—left side drawn back, blade angled behind him, his entire posture resembling a coiled spring waiting to unleash devastation.
'Let's see… if this works with a blade.'
His breathing slowed.
His focus deepened.
Then—
His senses screamed.
"—!"
The Sand-Worm wasn't charging blindly.
It was preparing an attack.
Its massive head lifted upward, maw opening wide as Abyssal Energy began gathering rapidly in front of it, condensing into a dense, pulsating sphere of violent purple energy that distorted the surrounding space with its sheer intensity.
Noah's pupils shrank.
'…That's not good.'
He reacted instantly.
Black Ether surged from his core, coating the blade completely until it solidified into a pitch-dark form—then faded from sight entirely.
Invisible.
Untraceable.
Deadly.
At the same moment—
The Sand-Worm finished charging.
The sphere stabilized.
And Noah understood immediately—
'If my slash collides with that directly… the explosion will be catastrophic.'
His mind raced.
'Let it fire first… then slip the slash beneath the trajectory…'
His muscles tightened.
'I'll dodge after release.'
The Sand-Worm roared.
And fired.
The Abyssal Sphere shot forward like a beam of annihilation, tearing through space at a speed that even Noah failed to fully calculate, the pressure alone distorting the ground beneath it.
"—!"
No time.
No hesitation.
Noah released his attack.
The Invisible Slash cut forward—a single, thin line, almost nonexistent to the eye, yet carrying overwhelming force as it met the incoming beam just a meter away from him.
And then—
They collided.
It wasn't a simple clash.
It was a war.
Ether—
Against Abyss.
Slash—
Against annihilation.
Noah—
Against a monster beyond his level.
For a moment—
Neither side gave way.
The beam halted.
The slash held.
And then—
The battlefield exploded into chaos.
A violent shockwave erupted from the point of contact, tearing through the surroundings with unstoppable force. The ground fractured, corpses disintegrated, and the air itself howled violently as if being ripped apart.
Noah gritted his teeth.
"Kheuk—!"
His body shook violently as he resisted the force, his skin beginning to peel under the sheer pressure of the collision.
Even with Infinity.
Even with his physique—
It wasn't enough.
His flesh tore.
His cheeks peeled back, exposing raw muscle beneath, blood spraying outward as his vision flickered violently.
But he didn't let go.
Not even for a second.
The Giant Sand-Worm fared worse.
Unlike Noah, it lacked absolute defense.
The thin Abyssal layer protecting its body shattered instantly under the clash, its thick skin ripping apart as waves of energy tore into it mercilessly.
It screamed—
A sound so piercing it shook the entire Hell Dungeon.
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH—!!"
Still—
The clash continued.
Neither side yielding.
Neither side retreating.
Until—
For a single breath—
Everything stopped.
The 'Hell Dungeon' seemed to Hold it's Breadth.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion detonated with catastrophic force, waves of destruction erupting outward in all directions, consuming everything within range as the battlefield was swallowed by blinding light and overwhelming pressure.
Noah's body was thrown violently into the air, his form spinning uncontrollably as he was blasted toward the crimson sky.
The Sand-Worm was forced backward, its massive body skidding across the ground, its already-damaged flesh tearing apart even further under the residual force.
Behind it—
The Cerberus realized too late.
The Giant was falling.
Some ran.
Some didn't.
CRASHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
The colossal body slammed down, crushing everything beneath it—Cerberus and Sand-Worms alike—reducing them to nothing more than shattered remains beneath its overwhelming mass.
Noah fell.
And hit the ground.
But he didn't land whole.
His body—
Was ruined.
His face had no flesh left in places, bone exposed beneath torn muscle, his abdomen split and damaged, his arm nearly stripped down to visible structure. Blood soaked the ground beneath him as his senses flickered dangerously close to collapse.
His thoughts blurred.
Darkness crept in.
'…Not… yet…'
His Will ignited.
The same Will that had once defied the System itself surged again, burning through the haze of unconsciousness as a single command echoed within him.
'GET UP—!'
'…Status… Recovery…'
[Status Recovery Initiated]
[Severe Damage Detected — Recovery Slowed]
[5%… 8%… 12%…]
Too slow.
Way too slow.
And they noticed.
The surviving Cerberus turned toward him, their instincts flaring as they sensed weakness. Their pace quickened, saliva dripping from their jaws as they closed in, eager to devour what they now saw as helpless prey.
[35%… 40%… 47%…]
Noah's vision slowly stabilized.
Barely.
'…Ten seconds… maybe less…'
His body trembled violently as he forced himself upward, both hands gripping the sword hilt planted into the ground, using it as support to stand.
His legs shook.
His breathing was unstable.
But he stood.
[60%…]
The Cerberus reached him.
No hesitation.
No delay.
They attacked.
One slammed directly into him.
Infinity flickered—
But failed to fully respond.
The impact landed.
Hard.
"GHH—!"
His body was sent flying, his head snapping back violently as blood sprayed from his mouth. The sword slipped from his grasp, spinning away as his body crashed and rolled across the battlefield.
They didn't stop.
Another lunged.
Its jaws opened—
Aimed for his arm.
But—
Infinity activated.
Barely.
The bite stopped inches away.
The Cerberus snarled—
Then changed tactics.
Its claw struck.
And Noah was thrown again.
Like trash.
Again.
And again.
And something inside him—
Snapped.
This wasn't fear.
This wasn't despair.
This—
Was rage.
Pure.
Unfiltered.
Violent.
His Mind's Eye locked onto the creature that tossed him aside, his breathing turning heavier as something darker surfaced within him.
'I won't kill you quickly…'
[78%… 82%… 85%…]
His fingers twitched.
His body slowly responding again.
'…You'll feel it.'
His jaw tightened, his voice barely escaping as a whisper filled with killing intent.
"…I'll make sure you regret it."
And then—
With a sharp pull of his fingers, Noah yanked the invisible thread bound to the sword's hilt.
The weapon responded instantly.
It tore through the air with a violent whoosh, slicing past the crimson atmosphere as it shot back toward him like a predator returning to its master's grasp. The black blade spun once—twice—before aligning perfectly with his outstretched hand.
The moment his fingers closed around the hilt—
The air shifted.
A sudden, suffocating tension spread across the battlefield.
The Cerberus froze.
Not in fear—
But in instinct.
Their movements halted mid-step, massive bodies lowering as their three heads snapped toward Noah in unison. Muscles tensed, claws digging into the ashen ground, saliva dripping from their jaws as a low, guttural growl rumbled from their throats.
They had sensed it.
Danger.
Not the kind that threatens—
But the kind that kills.
Their predatory gaze sharpened instantly, every ounce of their focus locking onto Noah as if he had transformed from prey into something far more terrifying.
Something they could no longer afford to underestimate.
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[A/N: Hey everyone! Moving the upload schedule slightly to hit the peak reading times. If you're enjoying the 'Blind Swordsman' journey, don't forget to Add to Collection so you never miss a chapter! 🗡️🕶️]